Everlasting Currents
by percyjackson2HarryPotter
Summary: (This is a prequel to PJO) The setting is 1987, in Abigail, South Carolina. Sally Jackson is a high school junior at a new school There she meets the ever mysterious John and Geography teacher Mr. Brunner. But what happens when Mr. Brunner warns her not to fall in love with John. What happens if both Sally and John decide to defy Mr. Brunner? Who is John, really?


**Chapter 1: Same Town, New School**

It's the start of the '87-'88 school year. Our town is so small, yet so big. So, when my mamma and pa decided to move from the east to the west coast of Abigail, South Carolina, I needed to change schools too.

I don't mind it at all. There were rumours going around lately that the west was so calm and how there were no criminals, no problems, no school cliques, no discrimination...all that fluffy stuff. Just because I'll be enrolled at Lawrence Senior instead of Abigail East does _not_ mean that I won't hang out with Ali or Ben or Bianca.

It's cooler than usual for this time of year, so I put on my favorite baby pink fleece pullover on top of my washed out flared jeans and leather booties. My long wavy hair looks like a jungle behind my head as I pull my leather shoulder bag across my body and put some perfume on. The bag had a bunch of seashells attached to it. That was my favourite part. I had gotten it this past summer when passing through an Indian Reserve with my friends to get to Manhattan for Independence Day.

I recently got my license so my parents helped me to pay for a '84 model of a small Ford. Besides the nutty rust colored paint job, it was working well. I wouldn't say as much for my driving skills. I was more at ease on papa's sailboat, leading it out to sea.

I grabbed an apple on my way out of my house. You could say I was in a hurry. I woke up ten minutes later than usual, took a longer shower than usual, and spent more time brushing my teeth. More than usual. As I was about to get into my car, mamma came out the door in her yellow apron and threw me a brown paper bag.

I had the worst aim in the country. I could probably win a medal for it.

* * *

I got to school five minutes before the warning bell. Thank God! No one in the busy halls paid me any attention. It was like I was just any other student, not the new girl. But that didn't mean the cheerleaders didn't say anything when they began roaming in the halls in their blue, silver, and gold uniforms. Their skirts were a bit too short for my taste, but that was just me.

"Are you a new girl?" one of them addressed me as I closed my locker.

"Yeah" I nodded

The cheerleader gave a devilish grin "Welcome to Lawrence Senior High School. I'm Carla, Junior Cheerleader"

I half expected her to be mean, like all Abigail East kids. "I'm Sally" I replied kindly. Carla thrust out her hand and I took it, shaking it. Then, she turned back to her friends and left me alone. That was so strange.

I rolled my eyeballs. Then, I caught a quick glance out of the corner of my eyes of someone smiling and snorting at my eyeball rolling. But, when I turned around to the source of the person, all I saw was a head turning into the nearest classroom. It was nice head. A boy's head. With short brown hair and fair skin.

* * *

I looked at my schedule to get out of that train of thought. Room 732: Introduction to Geography with Mr. Brunner. At first, I thought the school had seven floors, so I climbed all the way up the stairs, to the greatest height they could take me. I wasn't very fond of heights either, which is why being a flyer cheerleader was not an option. When I got to the roof, I got confused so I went back down to the main level, with the lockers. I started down every hallway and noticed that, for example, when the first hallway to the right were rooms 101-140, the first on the left next were rooms 301-340...etc I finally got to the fourth hallway to the right and almost went all the way down the hall.

I got into room 732 and caught a seat just as the teacher strolled in after me...in a wheelchair. Boy, would people take advantage of his handicap now. As the teacher was preparing the syllabus in silence, my nose became very acute to the strong smell of sea salt and the ocean. I turned to my left: a small boy was already sleeping. Yet, when I turned to my right, I saw a boy staring straight at the chalkboard, not speaking. His eyes were so sea green. Then, the boy turned to me, and I recognized his hair. From the boy who laughed at my eyeball rolling. He smiled at me, so I smiled back. Then the teacher started calling roll.

"Andrews, Alfredson, Baker, Banner, Boris, Calder, Cole, Corning, De La Cortez, Eardley, Ericson, Evergreen, Gilbert, Gill, Henry, Jab, Jackson..." Mr. Brunner said. I raised my hand at the mention of my typical southern name.

"New student?" he asked. I wished he hadn't because now, even the boy who was sleeping next to me, looked at me.

"Yeah" I replied shyly. The only person not looking at me was the sea smelling boy to my right. The teacher continued on with roll.

"James, Jefferson, Jill, Kensington, Kent, Lapiste, Marquis, Mason, Mattelo, Owen, Prescott, Preston, Quinton, Raz, Requima, Rosemare, ..." The boy to my right rose his hand.

"It's Rose - mar - eh, by the way, sir. I've been here for who knows how long and no one can still get my name right" said the boy

"So sorry, Johnathan" Mr. Brunner replied, winking at John...Winking? What kind of school was I in? "I wouldn't to disappoint the captain of the sailing team, now would I?" Mr. Brunner was talking to John like they had some inside joked. No one else in the class seemed to notice what I was seeing.

Mr. Brunner finished roll call and began his class. First topic of the year: ocean currents. Great...Wasn't geography supposed to be able to help us name all the capitals of the world?

Class was longer than I had expected. But before John was able to leave, I tapped him on the shoulder "Is there any way I could sign up for the sailing team?" I was batting my eyelashes for two reasons. One: to make sure I got on the team. Two: to get John Rosemare's undoubted attention.

"Yeah, sure. We could always use extras" he said. He almost sounded unsure of himself, actually. He hastily took out a blue folder from his navy blue Jansport and handed me a couple of sheets. "Just fill these out and I'll see what I can do"

The sheets were registration forms. I only didn't take my time because it looked like John was in a hurry. When I was done, I gave him the sheets.

"Sally Jackson?" he asked. I thought he was making fun of me.

"Yeah, that's me" I said happily.

"Any relation to Steven Jackson, owner of some nice vacation cottages up north?" he asked. I was surprised he knew who grandpa was. But I nodded, ecstatic

"He's my grandpa. Well, he was. But, um...how do you know him?" I asked

"I go up there all the time. I wish I could spend every waking minute there" he said

"Wow" I said. The guy I found cute maybe had a cottage right next to mine! Then I decided to be a bit flirtatious. I took a risk "Then maybe I'll see up north for Labor Day Long Weekend?" I flashed a smile

"Yes, maybe" he said cutely. And then, in a jumble that was the screechy old warning bell, we both cruised out of Mr. Brunner's class. Just as I was headed to room 910, Mr. Brunner came cruising up behind me and caught up with John, who was headed to room 111, he had told me.

* * *

The old handicapped teacher looked like he was worried about something because, in a second, Mr. Brunner and John were trying not to run down the hall to the main entrance of the school and out the building.

They probably did have some inside joke.

But that didn't explain why only John smelled like the calming sea, and why Mr. Brunner smelled like he used to be an equestrian. As far as I was concerned, those two had nothing in common.


End file.
